Best UFA signing of the cap era?

[JaegerDice]

July 1st is typically a day that teams make mistakes overpaying for players on the downsides of their careers.

But sometimes, a player worthy of the cash hits the market.

Sometimes a player is undervalued by the market, the team they left, or both, and they make a huge positive impact on their new team for a fair or even bargain contract.

I've tried to think of the most notable, positive-impact free-agent signings for as many teams as I could. If I missed one, please select 'Other' and tell me what I forgot.

Click to read more...

 

[x Tame Impala]

Hossa easily. Disregard the points. He was one of the most effective and important players of the Hawks dynasty and they most likely don’t win a single Cup without him.

Dominant 2 way, shut down, 1st line force. Both in the regular season and playoffs.

 

[amnesiac]

This is Chara

 

[Maninthebox87]

Boston and Chicago had one of those rare occasions where you sign a franchise player in Chara and Hossa and got them at reasonable numbers and were able to win cups with them.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Chara, Hossa, Pietrangelo are the clear top tier for me

Hyman, Panarin, Gonchar, Niedermayer, and maybe Briere would fill out the 2nd tier

EDIT: on second thought, Briere is up there for sure.

 

[Regal]

I’ll go with Chara because, while guys like Hossa and Pietrangelo were final pieces, Chara was one of the rare instances where the UFA set the tone that seemed to turn the franchise around. Niedermayer was probably similar, but he also didn’t stay very long. Chara stuck around forever, even after his initial deal, and I think his presence is still felt in the organization.

 

[ESH]

Easy vote for Chara here.

Surprisingly not a super impressive list. Obviously lots of good names who were impact players during their contracts, but not many franchise-changing players here.

Free agency seems to be more like a trap than a treasure trove in the modern NHL

 

[Evergreen]

Chara. Not only was he an incredibly effective player who led the B’s to their only modern Cup, but his legacy continues in terms of the culture he built in Boston.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

The thread is missing some notable options (mainly overage prospects).

Vancouver: Tanev, Burrows, Kuzmenko, Lack
Chicago: Panarin
Tampa Bay: St. Louis
Arizona: Bryzgalov

 

[Regal]

The thread is missing some notable options (mainly overage prospects).

Vancouver: Tanev, Burrows, Kuzmenko, Lack
Chicago: Panarin
Tampa Bay: St. Louis
Arizona: Bryzgalov

Bryzgalov was off waivers and St.Louis was before the cap era. There’s some good overage signings and other examples of no name guys who blossomed with new teams (like Verhaghe), but I think the point is more the traditional big name UFA signings of established players.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Hossa, Chara, Panarin

 

[NyQuil]

Boston and Chicago had one of those rare occasions where you sign a franchise player in Chara and Hossa and got them at reasonable numbers and were able to win cups with them.

Chara was originally signed by Boston for the maximum allowable salary for the maximum allowable term.

The cap was just paltry back then.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

This is Chara

This is my vote. I think that signing was the single biggest reason for their respective club's turnaround. A lot of those players were significant additions, but the Chara add was basically *the* foundation for the Bruins' success during that era.

 

[dgibb10]

This is Chara

Chara was fantastic but let's not pretend they didn't give him the equivalent of 16 million dollars in today's money

 

[Chaos2k7]

I voted JT, that is the funniest option

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Chara, not even close, IMO.

He almost singlehandedly turned the Boston culture that's still being felt today close to 20 years later. Though this is the 1st year I can feel the tide finally turning in that sense.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Comfortably Chara, but Niedermayer and Pietrangelo were also excellent. Seems to be a trend, when a franchise defenseman is available, sign him. Shout out to the Verhaeghe signing as well.

 

[Sky04]

It's Chara

 

[ColbyChaos]

The fact that Tavares even has 2 votes is hilarious

 

[Voight]

Niedermayer was a great signing but FWIW there wasn't much of a competition for his John Hancock. He was 100% going to sign in Anaheim unless they somehow couldn't afford him. In which case, he was staying in New Jersey

 

[PullHard]

Ottawa could’ve been so good

 

[Paul4587]

Chara is the only right answer here. Boston got 14 years out of him, half of which he finished top 10 in Norris voting (with 5 nominations).

He also completely turned around the culture of the franchise, captained then to their first cup in almost 40 years and made the finals two additional times.

Hossa would be my second choice and then Niedermayer third.

 

[Breakers]

Im going with Gonchar

Malkin says he wouldnt be the player he is without Gonchar
Malkin hurt himself in like his 2nd exhibition game, and they were contemplating surgery, and wanted to go back to Russia

Gonchar calmed him down said you coming to live with me, got him his car, credit cards, banking, English lessons, guest house. and convinced him to stay.

Malkin dedicated his hart trophy to Gonchar. Signed it and gave it to him, and said everything he has accomplished so far is because of him.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

Parise and Suter signings sure were savvy

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Chara was originally signed by Boston for the maximum allowable salary for the maximum allowable term.

The cap was just paltry back then.

There was no max term at the time and I don't believe it was the max salary either